The plan of God, which encompasses everything that transpires in creation, centers upon Jesus Christ. The "fullness of time" refers to Christ's arrival on the scene to mark the end of the times of preparation and bring about God's redemptive purpose. This is the moment when the mystery of God's will was revealed. The Father determined that Christ would oversee the accomplishment of His redemptive purpose. This "fullness of time" began with Christ's first coming and reaches forward to the consummation of the age.